Private Birth vs. NHS

[TheGentleMoose]

AIBU to ask your experiences on giving birth please whether private or NHS? And if you've given birth on both what were the differences?

I started looking at amenity rooms yesterday, and someone raised giving birth privately. I was under the impression that no health insurance covers birth unless for a medical caesarean. However, DP looked into it last night [our insurance is through his company] and thinks we could claim a vaginal delivery on the insurance. We've never used the insurance before so have no idea what it's all about really.

I have used the private side of St Thomas's. After an awful prior experience elsewhere on the NHS I wanted to ensure I could get directly to senior experienced staff who had personal responsibility to me. I went there as I wanted to ensure that we had access to NICU level 3 and adult ICU so preferred it to the Portland from that perspective. Obviously very expensive but luckily we could afford it and I found it the best of both worlds. Several acquaintances have also gone there and also been happy.

If you have a consultant-led delivery - then what happens if that consultant is working in their NHS post at the time of your delivery?

I thought it was just wasn't sure good luck with whatever decision you make. How far along are you?

Peanut Thanks - I am now planning for what I don't want to happen [a stay in hospital]. I'm 10 weeks.

You can have a private midwife who will then accompany you to a NHS delivery. It's cheaper than a full private birth but you get the same person for all your appointments and good postnatal care at home. Check out neighbourhood midwives.

If you have a consultant-led delivery - then what happens if that consultant is working in their NHS post at the time of your delivery?

It varies by consultant. Some will prioritise you, others will work in partnership with another consultant who is their back up until they become available
They only take on a limited number of private patients hence needing to book in early

I gave birth on the Kensington Wing at the Chelsea and Westminster. Fabulous experience. The NICU is connected by a door within the unit.

Ensuite, continuity of care and no waiting.

Oh, and you have a choice of Consultant, mixed or midwife care.

I also had a private birth(Portland) with an Elcs and it was a really amazing experience.
You have hand held 5 star care and literally the staff are there to assist you in any way they can. Dh stayed over with me throughout, great breastfeeding support and paed care for baby. I am very grateful that we were fortunate enough to be able to afford it.

I realise this thread has moved on, however here's my tuppence worth.

Under no circumstances would I have considered private intra-partum care.
I am sure it is lovely when all goes well, but I have yet to come private contingencies for when/if it goes pear-shaped to make this a viable option for me, better service, breakfast on real china plates and nicer curtains notwithstanding.

I had 4 v different deliveries (induction, emCS @ 31 weeks, 2x VBAC) in a rather elderly NHS hospital which in the meantime has closed. They also supported me through 4 MCs and subsequent investigations. The paint was peeling off some walls, the rooms were cramped and at times overheated.
I felt well looked after and supported whether the news was good or bad throughout and my preemie baby went straight from theatre to NICU.

NHS for me all the way, and every time.

If you can get it covered go private every single time. I've done both and there's no comparing the two. If you're close enough to the Royal Free I'd choose UCH every time for NHS.

For my private birth, I gave birth at the Portland and it was a lovely experience. Private room/huge birthing pool. The 24 hour room service is great and they take the baby to the nursery for you so you can shower. Every time you need help with latching the baby just push a button and up pops a midwife. The Portland does have a NICU just not a level 3 meaning they only take from 28 weeks onward. Go see Dr. Patrick O'Brien. He does his private deliveries at the Portland and specialised in high risk. He's the director of women's health at UCH. I stayed in the NHS until 32 weeks then went private to deliver at the Portland.

The Portland or any hospital will tell you their safety stats. It's crazy to say that you think some of the NHSs leading consultants would deliver privately in a place they didn't feel was up to scratch. But actually look at the stats. They speak for themselves.

I have had two very good experiences at the UCLH. It is a university hospital, with a NICU. First birth turned into an EMCS - nothing but praise for the doctors and nurses. Second birth a VBAC, but baby unexpectedly needed NICU in the morning after birth. I could not have been happier that the NICU was on site, and the care was really good.

I went private. Had two EMCS at the Portland. DS1 was born at 35 week and was in NICU (at the Portland) for 48 hours.
DS2 was also EMCS but 38 weeks and didn't need NICU/SCBU

The care was amazing. My consultant was great. The midwives were super lovely.

My health insurance did cover it all. However I had an expat level of insurance.
I never added up the costs of (high risk) pregnancy and delivery of DS2, but my low risk pregnancy with DS1 & his subsequent early arrival / care in NICU cost just under 40k.

I'm probably a bit late to this thread and not in London but i had both my children in an amazing NHS midwife led birthing center which is part of a very large hospital and had an absolutely excellent experience both times. Second time with water birth. I would always go back there even if we came into millions the are was so good and the experience so positive. I just wanted to say that it is possible. Maybe the midwife knows more about local hospitals and experiences mums have had?

I've had 1 NHS and 1 private birth. If I hadn't have been able to have the second privately, I doubt we'd have a second child. I found staffing to be a real problem with the first - It wasn't until I was readmitted that I saw a doctor I had any confidence in and the readmission was probably avoidable if I'd had better care. The MWs were too busy to give sufficient pain relief and were not great with the complications I had.

My private birth was an ELCS that was partly covered by insurance. I was in the private wing of a fully equipped NHS hospital, so no concerns about access to nicu, intensive care etc. The staff had so much time to answer questions and help with DD2. I never had to ask for pain relief as it was offered to me at the right times. Unlike an ELCS on the NHS, I wasn't booted out the next day, I could stay for up to 4 nights as part of my package.

Portland here. Had a very traumatic and very early EMCS with DD1, they were great. In NICU there for 6 weeks, huge support from staff. Went back for much more straightforward DD2 and again an excellent experience. Sadly never got to try the afternoon tea though.

I gave birth at UCLH. I was classified as high risk. I had an excellent experience at UCLH.. up until after I gave birth by emc , where I was in a postnatal ward of 4. Not enough midwives or nurses, not enough help. We had booked a private room but you can only go once you have been discharged, and at that point my husband really wanted to go home. I wish I had spent a couple of nights in a private room though.
To sum up : UCLH is great, you will be in very good hand there , but go private for the recovery.

OP if the Royal Free is your closest hospital then you live near me. I would say definitely don't go there. They have a terrible reputation for post natal care, and generally have had a lot of problems with maternity in recent years. A quick search just on this site will bring up posts on it.

I had DS in 2015 and after a lot of research I went to UCH. Yes, it's a bit further away but it is one of the very best hospitals in the country for maternity care. The maternity unit was opened in 2009 so everything is new and light and airy - unlike St Mary's, where my SIL went, which while it has excellent care, the post natal wards were small, boiling hot and not nice places to be.

I ended up having a fairly scary birth as DS got into distress and we were rushed to theatre (I was also consultant lead due to another medical condition) despite the seriousness of what was going on, at no point was I scared; I had absolute faith in the team around us, they were calm, quick, on the ball - and perhaps most significantly, used to dealing with much, much worse. People with complicated pregnancies go from all over the country to UCH because they have specialisms that other hospitals don't have. This made me feel very reassured. They have a NICU, and they are also super close to GOSH if a transfer is needed. I am currently pg with #2 and didn't even consider going anywhere else.

The final nail in the coffin for me was that one of my closest friends works in medical negligence and at one point specialised in maternity. She categorically told me that she would not consider going anywhere else but UCH (which she did, nearly died and they saved her life). That's obviously a bit more anecdotal, and there are other excellent hospitals around (lots of my friends have had good experiences at Queen Charlotte's, and St Mary's is v good just not as nice as UCH post natally)

I don't know about private rooms in UCH post natally, but I was put on a 4 bed ward. I barely saw or heard the others on there, the curtains separated us all the time. I was offered food and water constantly (plus you are on Tott Court Road so most things can be brought to your easily - DH brought me lots of sushi from itsu!) Someone always came quickly if i pressed the buzzer, I was checked lots etc etc. Discharge from hospital was fairly painless. All all it was a very positive experience post birth which I feel grateful for when I hear of what others have gone through. The actual birth wasn't ideal but that was not anything to do with the care i received, which was faultless (DS had the cord round his neck several times)

Hope this is in some way useful, happy for you to pm me if you have any q's

There's a private wing of Chelsea and Westminster, which I would strongly recommend. They also have high level NICU in case of emergencies. Just do not go to UCH, the level of care and aftercare is abysmal. They're simply too busy.

Ha cross posted with person above me - my post natal experience was v different, just goes to show! I don't think any NHS hospital is going to be perfect at everything, but I was v happy with the care I received there.

Have only experienced private and I couldn't recommend Queen Charlotte's more highly, it was a brilliant experience Pre and Post natal. The NHS hospital is a centre of excellence, with patients being referred there from all over the world with complicated pregnancies so they have all the experience and equipment you might need for mother and baby, just in case. I know several people who have had babies at the Portland and have had great experiences as it's like a 5 star hotel - but I would seriously check out what facilities and experience they have if things go wrong x

If you go private what happens if either you or the baby need the ICU? I hadn't thought about this earlier, but presumably at Portland your costs start to spiral? And at the other hospitals you could move onto NHS emergency services if needed?
I ask because I'd like to go private - I'm considering Portland, St Mary's. Don't want to return to UCH after the traumatic and sad experience last time. But we'd pay ourselves so cost is a bit of a consideration. (That's putting it mildly)

Bisquick - that's why we decided against the Portland and went for a private ward in an NHS hospital. The profit from the private ward (not the consultant's fees) goes back into the NHS hospital, which is also a good thing.